Associated Press

Madrid, February 20:

FC Barcelona stretched its lead to seven points in the Spanish league beating Mallorca 2-0, while Real Madrid lost to Athletic Bilbao by the same score.

Barcelona now has 57 points. Bilbao’s win extended its unbeaten run to 10 matches and lifts it to eighth with 35 points, while Madrid stayed in second place with 50 points.

In Saturday’s late game, Real Sociedad beat third-place Sevilla 1-0 on the 86th minute strike from striker Darko Kovacevic.

Deco opened the scoring six minutes later after his low shot from the edge of the area took a deflection off Mallorca defender Sergio Ballesteros. He added his second goal when his angled shot spilled through the hands of Mallorca goalkeeper Miguel Angel Moya in the 57th.

Italian Serie A:

ROME: Brazilian winger Serginho scored in the second minute of injury time to lift 10-man AC Milan to a 1-0 win over Cagliari and a share of first place.

Juventus, which led Milan by eight points just a month ago, was held to a 0-0 draw at Messina. Both teams now have 54 points and 16-6-3 records.

Serginho scored by lifting his foot up to connect with a bouncing ball sent his way on a play that was started by Cafu on the opposite side. Also on Saturday, third-place Inter Milan (43) played to its 16th draw of the season, 1-1 at fourth-place Udinese (41). Juan Sebastian Veron’s 58th-minute score was equalled by Henok Goitom’s goal before the final whistle.

FA Cup:

LONDON: Wayne Rooney failed to score on his first return to Everton, but Manchester United didn’t need him in a 2-0 win in the FA Cup fifth round. Quinton Fortune put United ahead in the 23rd and Ronaldo sealed the win with a 58th-minute goal.

Stepped up security didn’t prevent United ’keeper Roy Carroll from being struck in the head late in the game by a mobile phone thrown from the stands. Carroll winced in pain, but finished the game.

Also, Andy Gray converted an injury-time penalty, lifting Shef-field United to a 1-1 draw at 10-man Arsenal. In other matches, Bolton beat Fulham 1-0, and Leicester ousted Charlton 2-1.